How Will You Spend the Time You Have Left?
“Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes…” How do you measure a year?
The song Seasons of Love asks a simple but profound question: How do you measure a year? Jonathan Larson, the creator of Rent, wrote it as a reminder that time isn’t measured in paychecks, deadlines, or accomplishments—it’s measured in love, in moments that matter. Tragically, Larson never got to see the impact of his work.
He passed away unexpectedly the night before the show’s first public performance, making Seasons of Love an unintentional tribute to his own life. However, the opening night went on as a tribute to his work. His sudden death only reinforced the song’s message: time is fleeting, and the only thing that truly counts is how we choose to spend it. If that doesn’t make you want to stop waiting and start living, what will?
How Do You Measure a Year?
In sunrises. In sunsets. In laughter. In tears. In moments that make your heart race. In cups of coffee with people who make you feel alive.
It’s a beautiful thought. And yet, most of us don’t measure our time this way. We measure in grocery lists, in deadlines, in doctor’s appointments. In just get through this week, and maybe I’ll do what I want next week, next month or next year. In waiting for the right time to start living. But what happens? We wake up five years later, still waiting and older.
How Many Moments Do You Really Have Left?
The average life expectancy at birth for women in the United States is approximately 80.2 years. And I promise, there is not an expiration stamped on our butts unless you had it tattooed there.
We like to pretend time is endless and that we can always get to things later. But what if we measured our lives in milestones instead of years?
We like to pretend time is endless and that we can always get to things later. But what if we measured our lives in milestones instead of years?
If you’re 50 years old and live to 80:
- 10,950 days left.
- 372 full moons.
- 30 Christmas seasons.
- 30 more birthdays.
- 1,560 Saturday mornings to decide what to do with your day.
At 65:
- 5,475 days left.
- 186 full moons.
- 15 Christmas seasons.
- 15 more birthdays.
- 780 Saturday mornings.
If you’re 70 years old:
- 3,650 days left.
- 124 full moons.
- 10 Christmas seasons.
- 10 more birthdays.
- 520 Saturday mornings to decide what to do with your day.
If you’re over 80, you are in the bonus round; you are heroes, so tell us how you did it!
That’s how many more times you’ll have coffee with a best friend, hear your favorite song on the radio, or watch the sun sink into the horizon. We don’t always get to know when the last time is coming. But we do get to decide how we use the ones we still have left.
What If You Counted Time Differently?
I stepped outside the other night, looked up at the full moon, and for the first time, I wondered—
How many more of these will I see?
Not in a fearful way. Just… reality.
Because, at some point, something forces you to see time differently. Maybe it’s a divorce. Or losing someone you love. Retirement. A milestone birthday. A diagnosis.
I’ve talked to many people who’ve had their own resets—their own moments where time suddenly felt different. My friend and former co-worker, Laurie Tucker, recently had a kidney transplant. I asked her how that changed her view of time, and here’s what she told me:
“I had big plans for retirement—travel, projects, time to finally enjoy life. But at 57, I was diagnosed with amyloidosis, and my kidneys failed. Suddenly, every day was about survival. God gave me a second chance with remission and, four years later, a transplant. Now, what matters most is being with my family, making memories, and cherishing the milestones—birthdays, holidays, and simple moments I once took for granted. I begin and end each day in gratitude to the Lord, my God. We never know when He will call us home.”
Laurie’s words stuck with me.
It was a near-death experience for me, and after that, I wanted answers, a plan, a roadmap.
If I was still here, what now? Why didn’t God leave me a to-do list?
I wanted someone to tell me how to use this second chance.
But that’s the thing about time—no one hands you a rulebook. No one tells you how to use it.
That choice is yours.
If Time Were Money, Would You Spend It Differently?
Let’s put it another way. Imagine you walked into a bank, and the teller handed you $5,475—one dollar for every day you have left at 65.
Would you waste it? Would you give it away to people who don’t value it? Would you let it slip through your fingers unnoticed?
Or would you spend it carefully? Would you invest in experiences that bring you joy? Would you use it to create something meaningful? Would you make every single dollar count?
Because here’s the truth: Your time is worth more than money. You can always make another dollar. But you can’t make another day.
Stop Wasting Time on Things That Don’t Matter
Most people waste time without realizing it. We stay in friendships that have long since expired simply because it’s easier than letting go. We say yes when we mean no. We stay small when we want to be bold.
We wait and wait and wait. We wait for the right time to lose weight, to have more money, and to feel ready. But waiting is a habit; the more we do it, the harder it is to stop.
And let me tell you: you don’t get a refund for wasted time.
What Do You Actually Want?
Not what you were told to want. It’s not what made sense ten years ago. Not what fits neatly into the life you’ve built.
What do you want now? What would you chase if you stripped away expectations, fear, and self-doubt?
Maybe it’s more adventure. Maybe it’s more peace. Maybe it’s finally choosing yourself in ways you never have before.
And if you don’t know? Then, figuring that out needs to be your next mission.
Because the only real way to waste time… is to assume you still have plenty of it.
Measure Your Life in Love (and a Few More Things, Too)
“It’s time now to sing out, though the story never ends…”
I never got my to-do list from God. So, I made my own.
And it’s not a checklist of things to accomplish before I die. It’s a list of things to experience while I’m still here.
More sunrises (probably sunsets for me!) More quiet moments. More laughter. More doing things because they matter, not because I should. Writing more words, snapping more photos, and painting more pictures.
Whether you have 10,950 days left or 5,475, the only days that truly matter are the ones you still have a chance to wake up to.
So, how will you spend them? Will you keep waiting for the right time, or will you start making time work for you?
Because time is moving either way, the only question is, are you using it or letting it pass you by?
“Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes… How do you measure a year in the life?”
Maybe the answer is love. Maybe it’s an adventure. Maybe it’s finally, finally, deciding to live on your terms.
So, tell me—what will you do with the time you have left?
Drop a comment. I’d love to hear how you’re making it count.
Until Next Time,
Mary Harvey
Here’s a link to the song Seasons of Love from the original cast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrAMA26oqHk